“I am counting on having Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal ready for Thursday,” he said of the first leg against Benfica.

“They have both been carrying injuries for a while and I rested them to avoid making the situation worse.”

In the meantime, Giovinco has rediscovered his form as part of an ‘odd couple’ with Fernando Llorente and Conte had a suggestion.

“Giovinco is doing really well, as he is gaining confidence in his own abilities. It’s what I always told him to do. He’s so good at taking men on and can be decisive.

“I hope he can continue like this to the end of the season, because he still has a chance of going to the World Cup. Someone like Giovinco would certainly be of use to Cesare Prandelli.

“This win over Bologna was the kind of game we would’ve drawn last year. Over time we have matured and gained more experience to deal with these situations.

“The fact we have such a strong antagonist as Roma right behind us pushes us on to give our best every time. We’ve reached 90 points also thanks to the Giallorossi, who ensure we are always motivated and don’t think the Scudetto is already ours.

“Last season we won the title with three rounds to spare, after which we lost and drew. This season we’ve always had Roma with a pitchfork pointed at our backs, keeping us on alert.”